Social Justice Action Group (SJAG)

The Social Justice Action Group is committed to working directly towards peace, justice, and positive social change; which includes fighting hunger, promoting volunteerism, and building understanding. We have a focus on making an impact on and strengthening relationships within our local community of Grinnell, while keeping in perspective the national and global issues of social justice in the world at large.

Projects sponsored/coordinated by SJAG

Community Meal

Grinnell Community Meal is served every Tuesday (except during the month of August and the weeks of Christmas and New Year). FREE and open to the public.

Social Justice Action Group (SJAG) sponsors the Grinnell Community Meal which began in the fall of 2000 and is coordinated by The Social Justice Action Group (SJAG) -- a group of Grinnell college students, along with Rev. Deanna Shorb, Dean of Religious Life and Chaplain of Grinnell College. The meal is served on Tuesdays from 5:45 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. in the Davis Elementary School Cafeteria and is free of charge. It is open to anyone who wishes to come. The purpose of the meal is to build community and provide a hot meal to those who may need it as well as to the community at large.

Grinnell Advocates

Grinnell Advocates [advocates] is a staff supervised, student organization that aims to create greater awareness about issues surrounding sexual assault and dating violence on campus. This group provides sensitive, educational programming about issues related to dating violence, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. The Advocates also act as an immediate resource for victims through the Domestic Violence Alternatives Student Assault Center (DVA/SAC) hotline.

Peer Advocates are individuals trained to provide supportive services for students who have found themselves in the midst of incidents of dating or sexual violence. Peer Advocates do not provide counseling services, rather they offer a non-judgmental listening ear and information for relevant resources. They will maintain confidentiality to the fullest extent possible and ensure that no survivor or student-at-risk has to navigate the medical, legal, mental health, or campus system alone.

The Chaplain and Associate Chaplain are confidential resources at (641) 269-4981 and are not mandatory reporters of sexual assault. They offer counseling services and are located in the Center for Religion, Spirituality, and Social Justice, open 8am-5pm, Monday-Friday.

Student Affairs can assist with academic difficulties as a result of sexual assault or violence, as well as contacting faculty on behalf of the student. The Office of Residence Life can also assist students who have concerns related to their living situations. Academic Advising Office may be contacted at (641) 269-3702, the Office of Residence Life at (641) 269-3700, and the RLC on call at (641) 269-4600 for urgent assistance.

Stamps for Food

We continue our program collecting used postage stamps and giving them to the Marion Mission Storehouse. These are then sold and the money received is used to provide food, clothing, and medicine for the needy.

If you are interested in participating, please place your cancelled stamps in the FOOD FOR STAMPS box in the mail room (south counter) or send them to the Center for Religion, Spirituality, and Social Justice, 1233 Park St, Grinnell, IA 50112.

We ask that you do not pull stamps off envelopes, but rather cut or tear around the stamps without damaging perforations.

Thank you for your continued support.

OPEN and Voicebox

Voicebox is the campus activist and advocacy center on the third floor of the JRC. We provide students with information about activism on campus and beyond through weekly emails, funding for conferences and events, and various workshops. The Voicebox also encourages social justice and anti-oppression work by facilitating the social justice training in the spring and planning campus forums on social justice issues. Our library has practical and theoretical texts on social justice, radical thought, and chritical theory. We also have a megaphone available for checkout! Email [voicebox] to get involved.

Feel free to email with questions.

Getting Involved on Campus:

How do I find out about social justice or activist opportunities on campus and beyond?

Email [voicebox] for a Weekly Activist Email, or contact [service], [sjag], [src], or [mlc] to be on general email lists for activist opportunities. Be sure to read the Campus Memo for events on campus every week!

How do I write a letter to the editor of S&B?

Email [newspapr] with your article.

How can I get involved with the decision making process on campus?

Never hesitate to email an administrator or SGA cabinet members about a policy that they might have developed or with questions/concerns. If you are having a hard time with this, visit a Joint Board meeting or go to the SGA offices (second floor JRC) to speak directly to your student representatives.

How do I plan an event for NSO?

Email Annie Butlet at [butleran] to set up a meeting and pitch your programming.

Active Organizations:

Campus Advocates [advocates]

Real Men [realmen]

Feminist Action Coalition [fac]

STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition [stand]

Free the Slave [grinnellfts]

Conflict Resolution Advocates of Grinnell [crag]

Active Minds [gcminds]

Social Justice Action Group [SJAG]

Campus Democrats [democrat]

Social Entrepreneurs of Grinnell [socentre]

Sexual Health Information Center [shic]

Amnesty International [amnesty]

Under Multicultural Affairs Office:

African and Caribbean Society [acsu]

Stonewall Resource Center [src]

Queer People of Color Caucus [qpoc]

Stonewall Coalition [stoneco]

Trans Action Group [tag]

Asia and Asian American Association [aaa]

Chalutzim [chalutz]

Concerned Black Students [cbs]

Student Organization of Latinos/Latinas [sol]

Starting a Group:

How do I start a group on campus?

Head to the SGA office on the 2nd floor of the JRC to fill out a group registration form. You will need two people to provide contact information and a mission for your group.

How do I recruit members for my group?

You could do anything from tabling outside the dining hall to postering around campus with a time/place for meeting(s). Ask the [ace] chair to send out an all campus email advertising your event and don't forget to set up an email for your group. Holding events like Pub Nights or bringing speakers to campus is also an effective way to recruit members.

Where can I get funding and how do I get reimbursed?

Get a Funding Request form from the SGA Offices. If your budget is less than $700, you will be required to attend one of the weekly SPC meetings to explain your budget. If the budget is greater than $700, you will need to attend a Joint Board meeting to defend your budget in front of the Student Senate.

REMINDER: Save your receipts. Always. Note that most reimbursements also have a deadline.

Email and Plans:

How do I set up an email for my organization?

After you make your group by filling out the new group form in the SGA offices (2nd floor JRC), you will be contacted to set up an email for your group. You will need to go to the basement of the Forum to confirm with the IT Office to get an official email.

How do I set up a plan for my organization?

Email [plans] from your campus organization email and ask for an account.

Who do I contact for group email troubles?

Head to the basement of the Forum, where the IT Office will help you fix your email problems.

What is a listserv and how do I get that?

A listserv is an email list for your organization. The best way to build up your listserv is to build up support for your group. Contact Teri Wilson at (641)269-3322 for more information.

Group Events:

How do I plan for an event?

Conference Operations has put together a wonderful /conference-operations/services">guide for event planning. You can always contact [voicebox] or Conference Operations at any time for assistance in planning your event or with any questions you might have.

How do I reserve a room for an event/meeting and put my event on the campus calendar?

Call Conference Operations at (641) 269-3178. If this is a room for a regular meeting, make sure to specify that you want the room weekly. You can get a calendar username and password account through Grinnell's calendar to schedule a room and date for your event online. The Campus Memo is also a great tool to schedule events. Reserve a space with Conference Operations and fill out this form.

REMINDER: You cannot have an all campus event that receives funding from SGA unless the venue is accessible.

Which venues are accessible on campus?

Conference Operations has a map that shows possible venues and a list of what to do to make an event/organization accesible for everyone.

How do I publicize my event?

Postering is always crucial and effective, as is emailing those on your listserv, adding it to the Campus Memo, putting it on the All Campus Events plan by emailing [ace], asking major SEPCs to forward information, bringing up your group in a class, making a Facebook group, making a poster for the dining hall, or even making t-shirts for your event.

How do I reserve a van for transportation to an event?

Contact Facilities Management at (641) 269-3300 [vanmanen]

Speakers on and off campus:

How do I get a great speaker on campus?

Be sure to speak with professors or the CDO about contacting alumni or people you want to see on campus. Make sure you are aware of timing during the semester.

How do I get funding for a speaker/event if I am not affiliated with any group?

You can go to SGA with your proposal, and the same rules apply: get a Funding Request form in the office on 2nd floor JRC. Alternatively, talk to Michael Sims, head of Student Affairs. He has a special fund just for students who aren't affiliated with a group or department but have big ideas they want to fund.

What do I do after the speaker has agreed to come to the college?

You need a contract with the speaker. Students should never sign a contract by themselves (you do not want to deal with a speaker taking legal action against you!). Work with Student Affairs to get a signature and a contract that does not rip anyone off. Contact Michael Sims at [sims] about your contract.

Where can my speaker stay and how much will that cost?

You can call Grinnell House and reserve a room at $50 a night[calendar]. If Grinnell House is full, you need to start calling around to the hotels and Bed and Breakfasts in the area, but remember that you will need to account for your speaker getting to campus

How do I Skype a speaker in?

Skyping a speaker is a great way to hear a speaker without having to fundraise for their traveling expense, but keep in mind you will usually have to pay an honorarium. Talk to the AV Center for reserving a room accessible with Skype and adequate AV equipment.

How can I secure transportation for my speaker?

You can arrange for a vehicle to pick up your speaker at the airport by contacting Amy Van Manen [vanmanen] Facilities Management at 641-69-3300. The fee will vary. Make sure someone from your group can go in the van to pick your speaker up.

Poster Help:

How do I get my event into the bathroom readers?

Email the senators for each cluster or email someone in the SGA cabinet, usually [ace] and ask them to put your request in the Joint Board minutes so that senators will tell their constituents about it.

How do I make some amazing posters?

Posters are one of the most effective ways to get people talking about your group or event. Luckily, they are easy to make with an eyecatching color/design and information for the time/place of your event. Make sure to read signs in the academic buildings as to which areas are appropriate for postering. Keep in mind that you can only poster on the bulletin boards in the East Loggia and NOT on the windows/poles/walls.

Where to I get supplies to put up posters?

Check out the Voicebox on the third floor of the JRC! It is stocked with markers, poster paper, a printer, a photocopier, and usually some nice colored paper as well. Alternatively, the Multicultural Affairs Suites on the second floor of the JRC has poster-making materials available for students planning events regarding multicultural affairs and social justice.